KwaZulu-Natal | April 29, 2025 — A hospital clerk who was on duty the day Chief Albert Luthuli died in 1967 has testified that he saw no visible injuries on the late African National Congress (ANC) leader, contradicting earlier testimony from Luthuli’s daughter-in-law.
Mahomed Manjoo, an outpatient clerk at the hospital where Luthuli was admitted, told the KwaZulu-Natal High Court on Tuesday that there were no signs of bleeding or bruising on the chief’s face or head when he arrived. “There were no bleeding or bruises in the front of the chief’s face or head, also there was no blood on the trolley or his clothes that I would have noticed,” said Manjoo, who had worked at the facility for two years at the time.
His account stands in stark contrast to that of Wilhelmina Luthuli, who previously testified that her father-in-law had a large gash on his head when she saw him at the hospital.
Luthuli’s death in 1967 was officially ruled an accident by the apartheid-era government, which claimed he was struck by a train. The ongoing inquest, reopened decades later, is examining the circumstances surrounding his death amid persistent doubts and suspicions of foul play.
During cross-examination, state advocate Annah Chuene questioned the reliability of Manjoo’s observations, asking whether he would have seen an injury located on the back of Luthuli’s head. Manjoo admitted that his vantage point might have limited his view. “Correct,” he responded.
The inquest has been adjourned until Wednesday as the court continues to hear testimony on one of South Africa’s most enduring historical mysteries.